Oatmeal-machine



W. 1+:BJmmARll/ Oatmeal-Machine.

Patented Feb. 14o, 1880 bee , UNITED e STATES 1i IP ATENT, OFFICE.

WILLIAMEBERHARD, or AKRON, OHIO.

' OATMEAL- MA-cI-HNE.

Application :led November 13, 1879.

`To all whom it may concern.- y

Beit known #that I, WILLIAM EBERHARD,

of Akron, hio,have invented newand useful Improvements in Oatmeal-Machines, of which the following is a specification;

My invention relates Vto that class of Ioatmeal-machines in which the grain is-'conducted by the centrifugal force offa rotating disk endwise through radial grooves in its upper side to cutters arranged atthe circumference of Theprin-cipal object of my invention is to cut the :grain which Vpassesthrough` the radial grooves of the rotating disk lin-to particles of coa-rse meal whose lengthl is gaged by an `adjustable gage-ring, and also to adj ust the relative positions of the grooved :dis'kand its cap or cover, which retaiinslthe voats in the grooves, s

for the purpose of varying ithe dimensions of the radial passages .for grain of dierent sizes, and to relieve them from obstructio-n wheneverthey. become clogged-with grain or meal.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thev main part of the machine at the dotted line l in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a horizontal section at the dotted line 2 in Fig. l, with a part of gage-ring c broken awav.

rotated in frame j' by beveled wheelsd d', the

power being applied to pulley 1o on main shaft m. Disk a is firmly compressed between collars a a2 by turning nut n on a threaded part of shaft 7;,and thereby prevented from turning loose yon its shaft, collar a2 being keyed to the shaft: LDisk a hasin its upper side horizontal radial grooves e, extending from collar aV to the circumference of the disk.' Its grooves are covered by cap c', which has a central opening for the admission of grain to the disk. These grooves, whose bottoms are horizontal,

. are of sufficient width and depth at or near the circumference of the disk to contain lan oat-kernel only when lying lengthwise in 'the groove; but at or near collar a' their depth is very slight, for the purpose of allowing the oat-kernels Whichfall from hopper hon collar a to pass from thence onl the disk under cap c in any position, and-to become adjusted, after reaching the disk, to a position lengthwisein grooves o. The wedge-shaped projectionswon the disk` formed "by and between l grooves e, being thin an-d ofv slight depth Where the oats fall. on them, materially aid in adjusting the oats to the groovesfby the rotation of disk a beneath the stationary `cap o. The-disk is covered by cap cto retain the grain in grooves e until it is cut into meal.` Gap c has a sleeve, 02,-which is "bolted through itsange to frame j. It is grooved across its inner circumference to'adniit knive'ss `and guards@ betweenfittand cap fc', where the knivesareY adjnstablyheld against the circumference of cap cl by set-screws g tll-rough'sleeve c2: I

Knives s may -be `of anydesired-length, their upper ends projecting above cap c", and their cuttin g-ed ges proj ectiu g down 4wardaci'oss theci-rcumference 'of -disk a aud'closeto the Outerendsof grooves c. `Bythe-rotationLofdisk ab fthe oats `proj ectin g beyond the `outerends of grooves `e are severedbyfcontact with knives s. f

s, The circular vessel or cupw beneath disk a,

and into which the meal' falls from knives s,

is'bolted through 'it-sflange -1 to fthe top `ofqthe upright parts of frame j', and forms a part of the frame of the machine. lts inside diameter is enough'greater than the diameter of disk a to allo'w'space'for the meal to fall into it l from the circumference of the disk. The shaft b of the radially-grooved disk ais" across its inner circumference toform open-V ings s for knives s to enter and for meal to ,fall through into cup w. Ring b is narrower than gage-ring c, which has an annular recess formed in itsA under side for ring b to enter. The inside of gage-ring c is opposite to the outer ends of grooves e, and is formed intoa series of eccentric or inclined gages, s2, and openings ar.

Gages'sz'arrest the oats which project beyond grooves e for knives s to sever. Openings are over openings s in ring b', and are for a similar purpose. Sleeve c2 and gage-ring c are fastenedto frame f by, screw-bolts e', which pass through slots e2 in gage-ring o, for the purpose of allowin g, the gage-ring to be turned for adjustment of gages s2. This adjustment IOO is made by loosening screw-bolts c', and then turning gage-ring c by a pin or handle7 h', inserted in a hole in its circumference.

By turning or moving handle h to the left the distance from gages s2 to the knife-edges is increased, and by turning to the right it is diminished, and the length of the particles of meal to be severed is thereby determined. When the adjustment has thus been made screw-bolts e are to be again tightened. Guards 'u are thin strips of iron or steel placed in contact with the backs of knives s, with their lower ends resting on ring b', and prevent the oats from passing out of grooves e into openings back of the knives.

Shoe i', which conducts the grain from hopper lL into the openingvin the center of cap c. has a rod, i, extending beyond and in contact with one side of shaft b, (which is of angular form above cap c'.) for the purpose of giving a shaking motion to shoe i by the rotation of shaft b.

Main shaft m has its bearings in sleeve d2, atl ached to or formin g a part of frame j'. The bottom of shaft b rests ou bar l, one end of which is pivoted to the frame, and the Other end is connected with and upheld by rod b2. The upper part ot' rod b2 is threaded and extends through and above lug l', attached to the frame.

By turning thumb-screw o On rod b2, in contact with the upper side of lug l', bar l, shaft b, and disk ai may be easily and quickly raised or lowered sufciently to adjust disk a with reference to cap c and ring b' without disengaging wheels d and d.

lf the grain should become clogged On disk ay the disk may thus be slightly lowered sui- By the rotation of shaft b a wing or scraper,

o', attached to the bottom of collar a?, forces the meal through an opening in the bottom of 5o vessel w into the discharge-spout x.

I claim as my invention- 1. In au oatmeal-machine, a rotating disk, a, provided with radial grooves c, in combination with knives s and the adjustable ring c, having eccentric or inclined gages s2, substantially as described.

2. The rotating radially-grooved disk a, in combination with knives s, guards fu, and the adjustable gage-ring c, provided with Openings w, substantially as described.`

3. The combination of cap c', sleeve c2, setscrews g, and knives s with the radiallygrooved disk a, substantially as described.

4. The ring b', provided with openings s', in combination with the radially-grooved disk lo and knives s, substantially as described.

5. The horizon tally-rotatin g disk a, provided with radial grooves e, whose sides are tapered at their inner ends, in combination with cap c and knives s, substantially as described.

WILLIAM EBERHARD.

Witnesses BRADFORD HOWLAND, GEO. F. ROBINSON. 

